


People Die, So Love Them Every Day

by charlesdarwininthetardis



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: But then again it usually doesn't so that's okay, Date Night, Engagement, Fluff, Gino’s Italian Dining Experience And Grill And Bar, Italian Food, M/M, Mission Grove Park, Present Tense, Some angst, Time Doesn't Work, and also i swear no death, dinner out, not that much angst I swear, umm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 03:46:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5482175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlesdarwininthetardis/pseuds/charlesdarwininthetardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos knows his time is limited.<br/>Not only his time in Night Vale or his time on this earth, but his time with Cecil. And that scares him most of all.<br/>Because he doesn’t want to give up Cecil: Not in death, and certainly not in life.<br/>Carlos wants nothing less than to spend the rest of his life with Cecil Gershwin Palmer.<br/>So it’s probably high time that he make that sentiment official.</p>
            </blockquote>





	People Die, So Love Them Every Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sasston](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasston/gifts).



> This is my Welcome to Night Vale Secret Santa present for Sasston (on Tumblr as taylorswiftscolonexploded) I hope you enjoy your present!
> 
> The prompt was: "A proposal of some sort, could go horribly wrong and end up with an apology and cuddles or maybe goes smoothly and ends with just cuddles I don’t care but proposals!!"

Cecil knows his time is limited.

Not _his_ time – he doesn’t care about himself all that much – but his time with Carlos. Living in Night Vale for, well, however long it’s been, has taught him nothing if not that. People die every day, and in a world fraught with librarians and glow clouds, you never know when the next moment will be your last.

Or the last moment of someone you love very, _very_ dearly.

He holds Carlos very tightly (metaphorically, of course). Carlos’ obsession with science is adorable… and also completely dangerous. And after that scare in the bowling alley a few years ago, well, Cecil has since treasured every moment he is lucky enough to share with his amazing boyfriend.

So, of course he would love for their relationship to move forward. They have been going out for almost three now, and obviously they are compatible. If their love for each other could survive a year apart in different dimensions, then it can survive pretty much anything.

Unless Carlos someday decided it would be a good idea to openly question the City Council and everything it stands for. Cecil isn’t sure if their love could survive _that._

But Cecil won’t rush anything. He is patient, and he treasures every moment they have together, married or unmarried.

He was the first one to profess his love for Carlos and his hair almost (how long has it been?) almost three years ago now? That seems so short; it feels like he met Carlos long before that.

But time doesn’t work in Night Vale. So he doesn’t really know.

But because Cecil first professed his love so publicly, he’s been willing to let Carlos decide when to take the next steps in their relationship. When to start dating, when to move in together, and now when to get engaged. That way, Cecil knows that Carlos is willing to move forward of his own volition and not from Cecil’s urging.

No, if they are to get engaged, it will be Carlos’ decision.

 

\----- 

 

Carlos knows his time is limited.

Not only his time in Night Vale or his time on this earth, but his time with Cecil. And that scares him most of all.

Because he doesn’t want to give up Cecil: Not in death, and certainly not in life.

Night Vale is weird, to be sure, but Carlos knows that he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else if Cecil wasn’t by his side. And because Cecil and Night Vale are practically one and the same, well, that kind of limits Carlos’s residential options to one town, and one town only.

But he doesn’t mind.

As long as he’s here, he’s going to take advantage of the opportunity to study the most scientifically interesting community in the United States. But the real reason he has stayed is because he loves Cecil so very much.

Carlos wants nothing less than to spend the rest of his life with Cecil Gershwin Palmer.

So it’s probably high time that he make that sentiment official.

 

\----- 

 

“Cecil, I’ll meet you at the restaurant tonight, alright, honey? I can’t wait to see you.”

Carlos cradles his cell phone on his shoulder while digging in their closet for something suitable to wear that evening. Should he go classic with a white shirt in a purple tie? Or is that too casual for the occasion? But a full tux was too definitely too formal…

“Yes, Carlos. I can’t wait.”

It is their third anniversary since that first date night during the hazy patch epidemic. Cecil is attempting finishing up his work at the radio station in a mad effort to meet Carlos at the restaurant, Gino’s Italian Dining Experience And Grill And Bar. Today is important to Cecil because it represents the start of their lives together, three years ago today. He pauses gathering his papers and glances at the watch that Carlos had given him a couple of years ago, on their first-year anniversary. The watch is one of Cecil’s most treasured possessions, both because it is from Carlos and also because it is the only working timepiece in Night Vale, a considerably handy tool to have when one hosts a regular radio show.

“Hey, you said 6:30, right?” Cecil asks his boyfriend.

In their apartment, Carlos shuts his eyes and waves his arms angrily in frustration, even though he knows full well that Cecil can’t see him. “Well, yeah, I would have, if time _worked_ in this freaking town!”

“Oh, Carlos, your fascination with science and time is adorable. Never change.” Cecil’s slow chuckle brought Carlos back to reality.

“Cecil, I know you take it for granted, but time is seriously messed up here. It’s a legitimate problem!”

“I know it is, Carlos. We’ve been over this more times than I can count.” Cecil pauses, concentrating on organizing all of his papers for the next day. He glances at his watch again. “Does it make you feel better if I tell you that it’s 5:45 right now? And I know that this is the correct time. A certain scientist told me that I could trust this watch because, if I recall correctly, it is the only accurate time piece in Night Vale. And he, being the kind person that he is, chose to give it to _me_.”

“Haha, Cecil. I’m glad you like my present. Not that it helps _me_ right now because who knows how long 45 minutes really is.  And the sunset is unreliable because who knows when-”

Carlos is cut off by a large booming noise from outside. He glances out the window in their bedroom to find that darkness has suddenly descended upon the neighborhood. “Oh, what do you know. The sun just set. So there goes _that_ measurement of time.”

There are three things Cecil will never tire of, as long as he lives. They are as follows: Carlos, Carlos’s obsession with science, and Carlos’s annoyance when his science fails to work properly… which happens quite often in a town as strange as Night Vale.

Nonetheless, as his boyfriend, Cecil should try to comfort Carlos in these times of frustration as best as he can. “Listen, how about you finish getting ready, and then just come meet me at the restaurant. I’m almost done here at the station; I’ll be leaving soon anyway.”

Carlos had by this point semi-dejectedly starting picking up the clothes he had dropped in his outburst and began sorting through them in a vain effort to decide what to wear.

“Hey, Cecil? What are you wearing tonight-” but he is cut off again by the sound of the call cutting off. He looks at his phone in confusion before realizing that Cecil must not have heard his question, shakes his head quickly to clear it, and looks again at the two clothes hangers he has in his hands.

“So because a tux is obviously way too fancy for tonight, I guess that leaves me with…” he mutters quietly to himself, his eyes slowly glancing at Cecil’s side of the closet, which was filled a mishmash of tunics, cat-ears, ugly sweaters for any holiday of the year (even the ones that don’t officially exist), and a large amount of furry pants. Carlos’s lack of proper attire for the evening causes him to consider raiding Cecil’s closet for a brief moment before deciding that no matter how different Night Vale may be from the rest of America and no matter how fashionable swim flippers, flapper dresses, and pizza hats may be for fancy occasions, he still has enough self-respect to not leave the house in that attire.

So, white shirt and purple tie it is, then.

 

\-----

 

Luckily, Carlos is able to make it to the restaurant just in time to meet Cecil. They each pull into the small parking lot at the same time, get out of their respective cars (Carlos from a sturdy SUV and Cecil from his small and practical runaround), and embrace.

“Hey, you adorable scientist, I haven’t seen you in so long.” Cecil whispers into Carlos’ ear.

Carlos laughs and pulls away. “What? I saw you only this morning! Remember? I made coffee and you made pancakes?”

“Yes, but that seems so long ago!”

“Well, if time _worked_ in this town…”

Cecil sighs good-naturedly. “Are we still on this?” He turns to walk into the restaurant, Carlos falling into step beside him.

“Yes!”

“But even with time not working correctly, you still seem to have made it here on time.” Cecil nudges Carlos knowingly.

“Yes, but still…”

The two men are at this point inside the restaurant and right in front of the host’s booth. Cecil stops and looks pointedly at Carlos, raising his eyebrow. “Still?”

“Ugh, nevermind!” Carlos knows when he is defeated.

Cecil laughs and turns to the host, a small man with blue skin and a black mustache who is looking at the two of them curiously. “Table for two, please.”

“There should be a reservation under the name Carlos, please.” Carlos pipes up helpfully.

The man looks curiously at the reservation list before straightening up. “Ah, yes! I see here, ‘reservation for two for Carlos the Scientist!”

The host marks their reservation off the list and gathers the menus while Carlos speaks quietly. “Wait, Carlos the Scientist? I thought for sure I put the reservation under my real name, Carlos-”

“Follow me!” The host cuts him off and leads them to a secluded both next to a window. Then again, any booth in that restaurant would have been secluded because they are the only people in the restaurant. “Please enjoy your meal.”

Cecil glances at the host and asks him, “Quiet night, huh?” But he is answered only with silence as the host has disappeared, leaving the two men by themselves. Carlos glances uncertainly at Cecil, who doesn’t seem at all fazed by the sudden disappearance, and picks up his menu and begins perusing it only to find that there is still only one option on the list: a single bloody Portobello mushroom.

Cecil is also looking at the menu. “I think I’ll have the bloody Portobello mushroom. You know, for old time’s sake.” He puts down his menu and looks at Carlos, who also puts down his menu and smiles in response.

Carlos looks into Cecil’s intense violet gaze and whispers, “You know, I don’t think I’ve been to Gino’s since our first date, all those years ago.”

Cecil considers for a moment and shakes his head. “You know, I don’t think I’ve been to Gino’s since then either. Wow, it seems like our first date was only yesterday. Where has the time gone?” He hears Carlos take a deep breath to restrain himself from making yet another angry outburst about the state of time in Night Vale and quickly amends his statement. “I mean metaphorically, of course!”

Carlos slowly chuckles. “Really? It seems so long ago for me. Between days when gravity stopped working, oranges that cause people to move between dimensions, houses that seem like they exist but really don’t, invasions by dystopian corporate regimes, trips to Mysterious Desert Otherworlds, and  adventures with plastic yard flamingos, it’s been a pretty busy couple of years.”

“Yeah,” Cecil exhales happily. “We’ve had some crazy adventures, haven’t we, Carlos?”

“Yeah. And you know what, Cecil?”

“Yes, Carlos?”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” Carlos grins shyly at Cecil, who simply cannot resist Carlos’s charm. He leans in and kisses Carlos on the lips, causing the dark scientist to blush deep red before returning the favor.

The waiter comes, awkwardly interrupting their moment. They would have felt awkward about it if the waiter hadn’t been grinning and they hadn’t been the only ones in the restaurant. After placing their orders for bloody Portobello mushrooms, Cecil and Carlos glance at each other. Cecil grins at Carlos, but Carlos can’t help feeling a little bit nervous about what he has planned for the evening. With no menus or anything to hide behind, he is well aware of the heavy weight in his pocket and how he is planning to change everything.

A couple of silent minutes pass with Cecil looking lovingly at Carlos and Carlos attempting to look anywhere but at Cecil’s adoring gaze. Scientifically speaking, from what Carlos has learned over the past three years, this plan is going to be a success. But emotionally speaking, Carlos really loves Cecil, and although he knows Cecil loves him, he had been less vocal about it recently. And there is the high possibility that Carlos could mess up what he has planned and make a fool and embarrass himself in front of the one person whose opinion matters.

He was planning on doing this later, but now the anticipation is agonizing. He is simultaneously excited and terrified, and he decides that in a town where time doesn’t actually exist, there is no time like the present.

“Cecil, you know how I was saying, about sharing adventures with you?” he says slowly.

Cecil nods, slightly concerned over this extreme mood change in his boyfriend. “Yes…?”

“So, I’ve been thinking – that’s what a scientist does, after all - and I’ve really enjoyed these past few years of adventures. I’ve enjoyed these past four years of living in this crazy town so much that I can barely remember my former life anymore. I’ve enjoyed these past few years of living in a town where the odds of dying are probably statistically higher than the odds of living, of living in a town where adventure and insanity lie around every turn. You know, scientifically speaking of course, it’s been _fascinating._ And I’ve collected a ton of data about how Night Vale, um, works. _”_

“Uh yeah, scientifically speaking, of course.” Cecil isn’t really sure where Carlos is going with this, but he is suspicious that this speech is a reason to worry. Why else would Carlos start talking about how much he has enjoyed living in Night Vale, unless he was about to talk about how he’s leaving it? Why else would he bring this up using a shield of science and data unless he were nervous about how Cecil would take it? But why on Earth would he make this announcement on their _anniversary_ of all days? Doesn’t he understand how important this day is to Cecil?

Carlos, totally oblivious to Cecil’s concerns, continues, his words rushing together and tumbling over together in a speech he has kind of practiced. But all that time spent practicing in front of the covered mirror is forgotten as his emotions take over and he says, “But most of all, these past four years, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. From the mysterious radio host I met on the first day here to the slightly less mysterious host I got to know over that first year until I almost died in that bowling alley and I realized that my biggest regret was not getting to know you more. And when we started going out, I could wake up every day knowing that in this crazy world where every day disaster strikes and people die and the world doesn’t make any sense, I could wake up every morning, and I knew that you were my boyfriend, and that we were together, and all of the madness was not just survivable, and not just manageable, but it was okay. And sometimes, the madness of this town was even enjoyable because you were by my side. And then when we moved in together, after you saved me from that madness of the condos, I could wake up every morning next to you and know that my favorite person in the universe was _mine._ And I would look at you every morning, you sleeping peacefully there before I tried in vain to wake you up because lord knows you are _not_ a morning person. I would look at you, and the world would be good because even though we will both die someday, at least for that moment, we were together and everything was good.”

Carlos pauses to collect himself after that outburst. He inhales and glances at Cecil to see his reaction. Cecil is at this point touched by the speech because this is probably the single longest speech he had has ever heard from his boyfriend, but it is also a little concerning because the speech sounds a little _too_ bittersweet for comfort and he still has no idea where Carlos is going with this. But as his boyfriend, he is respectful enough to listen to what he has to say. If Carlos is telling him that their time together had been great, but now he is leaving him, then so be it. But he owes Carlos enough to hear him out.

“Okay, I lied. Night Vale is actually terrifying. It doesn’t follow any of the known laws of physics. Like, that one day when gravity turned off because the planet was too hot and too lazy to function? That’s not scientifically possible. And for someone whose life is centered around science and the universe obeying the laws of physics, that is completely terrifying.

“But you know what? That’s okay. Because there is nowhere else in the entire universe I would rather be than here if it means I get to live my life with you, Cecil Gershwin Palmer. You have no idea how grateful I am for you accepting and loving me for all of my many flaws and for claiming them to be perfect. You have no idea how much I love you and how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Cecil can’t take it anymore. He knows a huge “but” is coming. Carlos would love to spend the rest of his life with Cecil, BUT… now he has to leave and go back home to the University of What It Is or BUT he has cancer and is dying (which would explain all the talk about death in his speech) or BUT BUT BUT something.

So he stops Carlos mid-speech. “You want to spend the rest of your life with me, but…”

Carlos looks startled at being interrupted from his train of thought. He blinks at Cecil. “But? But what? But nothing.”

He stands up from his seat across from Cecil and kneels on the ground next to him, holding a beautiful moonstone ring. Cecil gasps as he finally realizes what was happening.

“Cecil, when I first called you after the incident in the bowling alley, I accepted my new home in Night Vale. By finally understanding and acknowledging my feelings for you, I effectively gave up my previous life back home. I knew that I wanted to stay here with you. And this is me confirming that decision. In this restaurant of new beginnings, where we began our relationship as boyfriends, I hope to create another new beginning in our relationship. Because this is me finalizing that decision to stay and build and complete my life here in Night Vale with you. Because as great as living here with you has been as your boyfriend, I hope that it will be an even better and greater adventure as your husband.”   

“Cecil Gershwin Palmer, will you marry me?”

Cecil stares at Carlos, his eyes wide with disbelief. Sure, he has always hoped Carlos would propose, but as is the case with most daydreams, he didn’t really envision it would actually happen. His eyes begin tearing up as his mind flashes through images of his greatest wish coming true: Him and the love of his life, living together, married, and in love, until the end of their days.

Carlos, still knelt on the ground looks up at his boyfriend’s tearful and disbelieving face. “Um, Cecil?”

Cecil then realizes that he never verbally answered Carlos.

“Of course, Carlos. There is nothing more that I want in the world. In fact, I think that would be neat.”

 

\-----

 

A couple of hours later, after they had finished eating  and used the supplied brick to break the window to leave Gino’s, Cecil and Carlos stroll peacefully through Mission Grove Park. Their fingers intertwine together, and Cecil smiles as he glances down on the moonstone ring that now graced his ring finger.

Carlos notices and leans in to kiss Cecil. They smile and cuddle into each other as they walk along the park paths in the descending dusk.

Cecil finally breaks the pleasant silence, desperate to get something off his chest “You know, you had me really worried there for a moment. With your speech about how you’ve really enjoyed living here and how you could die or leave at any moment, you got me really scared that you were sick or leaving Night Vale or leaving… me.” He can barely get that last word out, the very act of saying his fears aloud being enough to cause him to tear up. Even though he knows his fears are silly. Even though they are engaged.

“No, sweetie. God, no. I’m so sorry I made you think that. I didn’t mean for you to be sad tonight. I wanted so badly for this to be a happy occasion.” Carlos looks tenderly at his fiancée, greatly concerned for his happiness.

“And I am happy, I am so happy.” Cecil wipes his eyes and glances at the sky; the all-consuming void somehow providing a comforting constant in this great time of change. “God, Carlos, you have no idea how happy you have made me, knowing that you would be willing to spend the rest of your life with little old me.”

“Cecil, you know that I want nothing more than to love you and be with you for as long as I live. We share our past, our present, our assumed future. I’m just happy we were able to make it official.”

They smile at each other and embrace tenderly. Finally pulling apart, they continue to walk together peacefully until Carlos is the one breaks the companionable silence.

“Quiet night, huh? There’s no one out.”

“Not like last time, right? No one shouting at the void, no one turning into buzzing patches of haze…”

“Oh, man,” Carlos begins blushing, turning redder and redder as memories come flooding back. “That night, that first date, god, I screwed it up so royally.”

Cecil looks at him in confusion? “Screwed it up? Our first date was a huge success. Especially considering…” Cecil knowingly holds up his pretty new ring so Carlos is forced to acknowledge it with a chuckle. “We had a nice dinner, a nice walk in the park, you saved the town, we did scientific experiments on trees…”

“Don’t bring up the experiments. Oh, god, that was so embarrassing.” Carlos is by this point so red his complexion matches color of the stop signs that Cecil has immunity to.

“Why? Are you embarrassed that you did science on our date? Don’t be. They were of inmmense scientific importance. I was more than happy to help you with them. You know that I’ve been very into science these days.”

Carlos can’t help but laugh at Cecil’s innocent gaze. “Cecil, I’m a scientist, not a botanist. I know nothing about trees.”

“Wait…”

Carlos lets it all out in a rush, semi-relieved to finally get this ridiculous secret off his chest. “I was embarrassed and scared of looking stupid in front of you. And I knew you liked science, and because I really liked you and I didn’t want you to think I was stupid, I made up experiments about trees to distract you from my pitiful conversation and keep us occupied because I didn’t really want the date to end.”

 “So those scientific measurements we took of the trees…”

“Were totally random measurements. I have honestly no idea what they mean.” He pauses, gauging Cecil’s incredulous reaction. As Cecil begins to open his mouth, Carlos quickly cuts him off. “But I do still have them though! The calculations from our first date are still in my lab!”

Cecil just stares at him and starts laughing really loudly, giving Carlos no choice but to join him.

As they continue to walk, Cecil has an idea. “You know, tonight, we don’t have to do any random experiments on trees to occupy my time.” He sends a pointed look at Carlos (who blushes profusely) as he continues. “You have my attention, and sorry, but nothing could distract me from you.” He looks back at the grove of trees. “But we can still commemorate the occasion, with a tree…”

“Cecil, what are you suggesting?”

“There’s a grove here in the park where people often carve their momentous occasions. You know, ‘CP + CtS 4EVER’ with a heart, stuff like that.” Seeing Carlos’s worried look, he laughs. “Don’t worry, Carlos, it’s perfectly legal. People do it all the time. Now what I have in mind isn’t as juvenile as ‘CP + CtS 4EVER.’ It’s much more mature than that.”

“Is it now?” Carlos is following along as Cecil’s stride quickens in excitement. “And CtS?”

“Carlos the Scientist, of course!” Cecil responds automatically without looking back.

“You know, if we’re getting married, you should know that my real last name is-”

“This tree is perfect!” Cecil stops suddenly, cutting Carlos’s statement off and causing him to run into the radio host.

Carlos studies the tree’s trunk closely and notices that it does indeed have a nice large open space right at eye level, perfect for carving a giant heart or a nice long quote. “What are you planning on carving in it?”

“Well, you know how you said in your engagement speech that you could die at any moment, so you’d love to spend the rest of your days with someone you love?”

“Yeah, that’s a major part of the reason why I didn’t wait to ask you to marry me.” Carlos isn’t really sure where Cecil is going with this.

“Yes, and it’s a beautiful sentiment. One that made me think of an extremely profound quote by the extremely profound author L. J. Smith.”

“L. J. Smith? Didn’t she write those vampire _Night World_ books? You know, books comparable to _Twilight_ caliber?”

Cecil nods slowly. “ _Twilight_ is highly respected literature, so I don’t understand your problem.”

Carlos laughs and shakes his head. “Of course that would have literary merit here. Okay, Cecil. Whatever you want it to say, I wholeheartedly support. I’ll even help you carve it.”

Cecil pulls a carving knife out of his pocket, and holds it up to Carlos, who grabs hold of it along with Cecil and smiles at him. Together the two slowly and painstakingly carve the monument to their engagement, marking forever their lifelong commitment to each other.

As they step back and admire their handiwork, their hands once again find each other and grasp tightly, for now that the two had found and loved each other, they are not going to let go again so quickly. They turn and walk away from the tree, their hands grasping each other tightly as they walk away into their new life together.

Behind them, they leave only a tree with the following inscription:

 

_People die… so love them every day._

_Beauty fades… so look before it’s gone._

_Love changes… but not the love you give._

_And if you love… you’ll never be alone._

_~ CP + CtS 4EVER_

 

**Author's Note:**

> This work inspired my sort-of-semi-sequel "In Night Vale, You Can be a New Man," about Cecil and Carlos making a wedding related-decision that generally leads to some angsty fluff. I hope you go check that out!
> 
> The quote carved on the tree really is from the Night World novels by L. J. Smith. When I read them a couple of years ago, I thought they were pretty good, and if you like vampires and witches and all that jazz, then it's a pretty decent series that I would recommend. I mean, she never actually came out with the last novel, but whatever. I'm not bitter. I'm not bitter at all. Whatever gave you that impression?


End file.
